№3

So, at the moment I am at the conference IFLA – Information for civic literacy – in Riga (program, proceedings and all important information can be found here http://www.lnb.lv/iflariga2012). I will round all the information together, and soon, very soon write a summary of what’s been happening here. Meanwhile, I’d like to draft my pans for the upcoming months, mostly for my own sake, honestly, so I wouldn’t forget where I’m going and what for.

August – the last blessed month of summer vacation

Finland and Estonia – blissfull vacation trips with friends to sit by the lakes and build up energy and inner poise for the longest fall semester. The fall semester is always the longest as the days grow shorter and night creeps in. The trees lose the foliage and everything becomes sad and grey all around. Must I add that this will be my first teaching semester after a year long sabbatical.

September

SPELTA conference where I finally get to present my findings in the field of intercultural aspects of TESOL. As of today I am planning three workshops for school teachers of English.

5-10 UNESCO IITE Pilot Project “Learning for the Future”. Well, honestly, the conference will be on a boat. How cool is that? It’s a river cruise boat turned into a conference hall! I must admit that I am ecstatic about being on a boat and getting 5 days off, but the core idea is the project of the Institute for Information Technologies in Education (http://iite.unesco.org/) on the digital learning, open access and all the cool stuff that I love so much.

October

26-28 Moscow conference “Languages of social sciences”. Moderated by a colleague and a fellow Fulbrighter, a bright mind and just an awesome gal Tatiana Weiser. There is still a paper to write, but nevertheless, all events that involve Tatiana for me have a certain hallmark of quality and I am excited to (hopefully) be a part of the event.